Do you have flashbacks or nightmares about your baby’s birth? Do avoid your baby because he/she reminds you of your traumatic experience? Are you having fantasies about hurting the baby, or yourself? Do you have difficulty concentrating? Are you unusually irritable, angry or depressed? Then you may have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from your childbirth experience. But you are not alone! What you are going through is real, and there is hope for healing. Don’t give up!

Friday, July 22, 2011

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------> From: Mehwish Ansari <intern17@madre.org>> Date: Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 3:07 PM> Subject: Help Us Send Much Needed Supplies! > To: info@motherfriendly.org> > > Dear Coalition for Improving Maternity Services:> I am writing to you on behalf of MADRE. MADRE, an international women's human rights organization, seeks to advance these rights by meeting urgent needs in communities and partnering with women to create long-term solutions for the crises they face. > > MADRE's sister organization, Midwives for Peace, is a group of Palestinian and Israeli midwives who have come together to provide in-home deliveries for pregnant women in the West Bank and Israel. This group offers a safe alternative for women in labor who do not have easy access to hospital care. We have the opportunity to send urgently needed supplies through a volunteer next week. A list of these supplies is below. We would love to speak to you about what you may be able to donate or any relationships you may have. > These supplies will be used to create "safe birthing" kits used by the midwives during delivery. Any of the items you can provide would be greatly appreciated. The kit includes:> > Hydrogen peroxide > Topical alcohol and alcohol prep pads> Obstetric gel> Scissors> Umbilical cord clamps> Syringe bulbs> Sterile cotton balls> Sterile medical masks> Sterile gauze> Sterile bed liners > Sterile Latex gloves> Sterile baby blankets and towels> Prenatal vitamins and supplements> Physio balls for comfortable delivery> Maternity care reading material and birthing books> MADRE is located in New York City. You may mail your donation to: > > MADRE> Attn: Helping Hands> 121 West 27th Street Suite 301> New York, NY 10001> > Alternatively, you may drop off your donation at the address above during our business hours, 9:30 am – 6:00 pm. > > Thank you very much! As you know, these supplies are truly life-saving to mothers and babies.> > I hope to hear from you soon!> > -- > Mehwish Ansari | Helping Hands Intern > MADRE: Rights, Resources, and Results for Women Worldwide> 121 West 27th Street, #301 | New York, NY 10001> tel. 212-627-0444 | fax. 212-675-3704> www.madre.org

Monday, July 18, 2011

Depending on your email program, you may be able to click on the link in the email. Alternatively, you may have to open a web browser, such as Firefox or Internet Explorer, and copy the link over into the address bar.

Nineteen years ago I ? and my baby ? almost died. I was 29 weeks pregnant at the time. The baby was my first, and all seemed well. Then a visit to an antenatal clinic changed everything. My blood pressure was high; there was protein in my urine. I was sent to hospital; admitted immediately; and by dawn the next morning, I'd had a Caesarean section and had a tiny (2lbs 13oz) daughter, who was fighting for her life in special care.

Janus is offering a $20,000 charity prize purse to be divided between five charities based on the number of votes each receives by 5pm central time on October 1st. Make your voice heard by CLICKING HEREto cast your vote today.

After clicking on one of the red "Vote Here" links, please look for our name on the ballot and vote for us. It will look like:

Jenny’s Light, supported by BECKY LAVELLERaises awareness and understanding of perinatal mood disorders, such as postpartum depression, both for women and families, and the providers that treat them.

Those who are serious about the sport of triathlon, compete. Those who are passionate about it, compete to win. The Life Time Triathlon Series Race to the Toyota Cup attracts some of the best and most competitive triathletes in the field. But there’s more to this competition than most people know. This year, five professional triathletes racing to the Toyota Cup will be motivated by more than just a place on the podium. They’ll be racing for a charitable cause they feel deeply about and a chance to further that cause.

As ambassadors of the sport and champions for charity, these pro triathletes have been invited by Janus, a Denver-based global investment company, to compete for a special $20,000 charitable prize purse. Introduced this year as part of the Janus Charity Challenge, Janus’ successful charitable fundraising program, this competition is unique in that it is the voice and choice of the people that determines which pro and which charity wins.

Appropriately billed the Janus Charity Challenge People’s Choice Awards, this contest is a test of altruism, not athleticism. Here’s how it works:

• Each of Janus’ Pro Athlete Partners has identified the charity they are most passionate about.

• Anyone and everyone can vote for the athlete or charity that inspires them most.

• The $20,000 charity prize purse will be divided among all charities based on the number of votes each athlete/charity receives by October 1st, the day before the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon in Dallas.

We currently have over 7,800 members of our Jenny's Light "Cause Page" and have raised over $30,000!

Special thanks to everyone who has donated on Facebook as well as those who've raised money through the Facebook birthday fundraising application. If you have a Facebook profile, please join our cause, set-up your own birthday fundraiser and help us grow by recruiting your friends!

Thank you for your support!!!!

Jenny's Light is on Twitter. Sign-up today to follow our weekly (and sometimes more) "tweets". It's easy and free to join. This is just another way we are trying to reach out to as many people as possible with our message. Click here to get started.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

But as the couple enjoyed their first minutes as a family, Katy began to feelcold and shaky. Barry told medical staff he was worried about the amount ofblood she was losing as Katy's lips went blue and she lapsed intosemi-consciousness.Katy said: "Then I had a seizure and they had to getthecrash team in. Up until that point, I was thinking I was over theworst."Later, surgeons explained they'd removed a large clot from Katy'suterus and blood transfusions had saved her life.She was later diagnosedwith post-traumatic stress syndrome and the family decided to move home toScotland last Christmas.Today, with the help of counselling, Katy hasputthe trauma behind her and remarkably has not ruled out having anotherbaby.She said: "If you'd asked me in the few months after Corrie wasborn,I'd have told you even the thought of having another baby terrifiedme...

News Release

Today, on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day, we recognize the millions of Americans who suffer from this debilitating condition. PTSD affects a wide range of people, from new mothers to our country's service men and women.

PTSD affects about 5.2 million adult Americans, but women are more likely than men to develop it. PTSD occurs after an individual experiences a terrifying event such as an accident, an attack, military combat, or a natural disaster. Some people recover a few months after the event, but other people will suffer lasting or chronic PTSD.

HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a variety of resources to help people who suffer from PTSD and to help their families and friends better understand and deal with trauma and its aftermath.

We have a responsibility to help Americans who have lived through trauma, especially our nation's service men and women who may be dealing with PTSD. We owe them the care and resources they need to get well.

One of our key programs is our partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide military veterans and service members, along with their families, assistance with the effects of PTSD through the confidential toll-free Veterans Crisis Hotline, a service that also offers support through a confidential one-on-one online chat service.

Also, as part of the Affordable Care Act, we are partnering with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to share our best ideas on how to promote prevention and improve the quality of health care for veterans and all Americans.

If you need help, call:

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About Me

My name is Jodi Kluchar, and I live in Struthers, Ohio. I am currently a volunteer postpartum support group coordinator in Mahoning County, and webmaster of PTSD After Childbirth: www.ptsdafterchildbirth.orgI suffered from PTSD after the birth of my son. The most important piece of advice I have for you is that it’s important to talk about what happened, even though you may not want to. Try to find a counselor or someone you trust to help you work through your memories and how you feel about the birth. Read my birth story here.